A new study reveals why certain foods go together, especially fatty foods and astringent drinks pair well, like red wine and steak. It’s not so much taste as texture in your mouth. It’s the science of pairing: “We also establish that multiple sips of a mild astringent solution, similar to a wine or tea, decrease oral fat sensations elicited by fatty food consumption when astringent and fatty stimuli alternate, mimicking the patterning that occurs during a real meal … Repeatedly alternating samples of astringent beverages with fatty foods yielded ratings of fattiness and astringency that were lower than if rinsing with water or if presented alone without alternation.” [Current Biology via NPR]